Ok... chopped or not chopped?!?

[Tripper]

Looking through some old car show pictures I was taken by cars that were sectioned but not chopped. I just love to do some toppin' choppin' my own self & have loved the look since I was a kid! What say you... "Chopped" of "Not Chopped"?!?

BoB

 

[DozerII]

Looking through some old car show pictures I was taken by cars that were sectioned but not chopped. I just love to do some toppin' choppin' my own self & have loved the look since I was a kid! What say you... "Chopped" of "Not Chopped"?!?

BoB

Gotta take some off the top, [cl[cl

 

[BillM]

Chopped!

 

[26Troadster]

depends on the car/truck.

 

[Toad]

I wouldn’t chop most things from the 50’s on. Anything before that, game on! Especially 20’s and 30’s! [

Toad

 

[Skip]

depends on the car/truck.

Exactly right. Just because it can be chopped doesn't mean it should be chopped.

 

[05snopro440]

Depends on the vehicle and whether it improves the design and makes it more appealing. Many vehicles are chopped for the sake of doing it, not because it improves upon the design.

 

[bob w]

Aesthetics, Bob aesthetics. In your opinion, do what's best for the car.

 

[Blue Eyed Devil]

Simple design work - Follow the "rule of thirds" and you will never go wrong - 2/3rds body height to 1/3rd top height. Never fails! [

 

[kenny c]

I'm with the rest of the crowd. Most cars, and trucks for that matter built before the mid Fifties can stand a little off the top. Proportions are the key thing.

 

[soltz]

I'm a little one sided, most of my builds have been chopped, even the Willys windshield.
But it's your eye that has to make the final chose

 

[Torchie]

I'm a little one sided, most of my builds have been chopped, even the Willys windshield.
But it's your eye that has to make the final chose

You are speaking for me as well. soltz.
Here is a couple of pics of the Ron Dunn sectioned, but not chopped , 1950 Ford done by the legendary Valley Custom shop.
Dunn wanted the car low but didn't want to sacrifice driving visability with a chopped roof. Car was sectioned 5 inches.
I like the car but to me it looks top heavy.
As evidenced but my currently mothballed build. I prefer a mild chop on a sectioned car. Or just a Mild chop.
When my daughter and I did her 60 Chevy, once I lowered it people thought that I had sectioned it but not chopped it when in fact the body and top were totally stock..[ddd
The eyes can play funny tricks on you.
Torchie
p.s. And no dr Crankenstien. That's not my daughter in the picture. LOL

 

[Bamamav]

My rule is if the glass is flat, it usually looks good with a chop. Curved glass, usually not worth the effort. There are exceptions, of course.

But chops can be overdone. I'm not a fan of mail slot window chops. I think B E D has it right, 2/3rd bottom, 1/3 top is pretty good proportions on most cars.

 

[Dr Crankenstein]

Proportion, as well covered already. There's nothing worse than a bad chop!

p.s. And no dr Crankenstien. That's not my daughter in the picture. LOL

Good to know. Whose daughter is it?

.

 

[Burgerman]

Great topic Tripper. Got my saw ready, now what am I gonna chop. [S

 

[von-zipper]

I love older cars chopped but in the 50's and 60's it depends on the car! Worst chop I saw was a '57 Ranchero, just didn't look right chopped IMO!

Zipper

 

[MercuryMac]

I like a gentle chop, and if it's a 4" to 5" chop maybe a gentle section. Do not section a car and leave the top ballooning up, ---- unless you live somewhere east of the outskirts of Boston.

 

[dutch]

You are speaking for me as well. soltz.
Here is a couple of pics of the Ron Dunn sectioned, but not chopped , 1950 Ford done by the legendary Valley Custom shop.
Dunn wanted the car low but didn't want to sacrifice driving visability with a chopped roof. Car was sectioned 5 inches.
I like the car but to me it looks top heavy.

funny... I love the looks. I looks very natural to me. The sectioned car looks European... In general ,cars produced here were a lot smaller than US made cars, but you would still need the same glass size and interior dimentions, right?

 

[Torchie]

funny... I love the looks. I looks very natural to me. The sectioned car looks European... In general ,cars produced here were a lot smaller than US made cars, but you would still need the same glass size and interior dimentions, right?

I agree with your comment about it looking European. dutch.
This car was done by Valley Custom but by the early 50's Many car customisers were looking at European cars for some inspiration. George Barris spent a Vacation of in Europe sketching cars to use as Ideas for their customs.
AS an aside. When the car was meticulously restored I read that they used 150 Lbs of lead to redo all the original lead body work.
Torchie